Vanish
by Bloody Koalas
Summary: The death of Amber brought up many questions, the biggest of which was this--where the heck was her family? What went on during her childhood that she was so desperate to forget?


**A/N: The finale had me wondering…what was her life like? What really happened to her? Anyway…if you don't know who mystery-person here is, check out our profile.**

**Disclaimer: If you hadn't noticed, I don't own House. Gosh. **

"Amber! Amber Volakis!" Came the disgusted squeal of my mother. I tried not to be noticed, but as a product of my father's drinking and my mother's actions, I was hardly noticed anyway. Amber stood up, I could see from my hiding place, but her face was completely blank. She was in trouble…and I for one didn't have a clue why. Lately, it seemed as if Dad was never home, and Mom got really irritated at everything. This time, I was sure, whatever she was mad at wasn't Amber's fault.

"Yes, mom," she mumbled carefully, but I could tell she very much wanted to run and scream and kick walls, do something to blow off the injustice Mom always gave us. Of course, she didn't, just like me. We didn't want to be hit. Dad wasn't home, but she'd still hit us, just for the sport.

"Get your ass outside! I don't need anymore hell today."

Amber shook her head, a yes, but I knew that Mom wasn't satisfied. She raised her hand, like she'd strike Amber. I ran out from behind the doorway. "Mom! Supper's ready." Her hand lowered, shook in a funny way, and even though she got it to stay still again real fast, it gave Amber enough time to escape. She ran outside as fast as she could. I don't blame her, that's what I always did. But somehow, he look on her tired, porcelain face told me she wasn't coming back; not too soon, anyway. I ran out after her, leaving Mom shaking her head, shuffling her dented gait into their bedroom, and probably formulating how she'd get Dad to hate us even more. I didn't care; they weren't my parents. Yeah, they were the people who'd conceived me, but they didn't love me at all. I didn't love them. I knew Amber didn't love them, either. Actually, I knew Amber was terrified of them. It scared me—my fifteen-year-old sister was frightened to be around our parents. Something bad had happened…or maybe it was just the everyday things: the home schooling, the city, the bruises.

My chest felt tight, and I could feel my heart beating overtime. Where was she? The city lights blinked brightly, and even from our small apartment, I could tell that she'd made a run for it. She was really…hiding. But I knew the usual places she went. The park, of course, was off-limits—it was riddled with police. No, my Amber was smarter than that. She hid in the back of our uncle's truck. Uncle John wasn't exactly around anymore…he was a navy guy. But he'd taught Amber how to drive, early, when she was thirteen. I knew how, too, but I wasn't supposed to tell anyone.

* * *

In about 10 minutes I had made it to the garage where Uncle John kept his car. It wasn't a garage at all, more like…a dump, really. Cheaper, I guess. Anyway, the bright blue truck practically screamed, "Steal me! I'm beautiful!" Of course, I knew that Amber wouldn't steal it. She couldn't—where would she go? It was pretty hard to leave New York without a permit…just like in the park, police just crawled all over the streets. One false move and she'd be arrested…and she wouldn't leave me alone with them. She knew how bad it was; for the first five years of her life, she'd had to have dealt with them on her own. Now there were two of us, and we had each other for support.

As I neared the truck, I started thinking. Maybe she didn't come here. Maybe…maybe she went to the corner drugstore? I knew she'd tried smoking before, but when she told me how terrible it was, I assumed she'd never do it again. Still…maybe she went back. Then again, she didn't—we didn't—have the money for cigarettes. Our parents didn't let us have any money, not unless we were shopping for food. Though, she could've easily stolen some of the money…

Suddenly, all of my theories came to a halt. The truck slowly, ever so slowly, creaked out of it's parking space. The back wheels turned slightly, and the vehicle started backing out of the lot. Amber.

"Hey!" I whispered as loud as I could. You could never yell in these parts. "What're you doing?"

Her strawberry-blonde hair covered her pretty blue eyes. "What do you think, girl? I'm running away."

At this I was taken aback. _What?!_ After several seconds trying to compose myself, I realized Amber wasn't going to wait for me--the truck was speeding down the lanes of the dump. "Wait!" I hissed, sprinting after the truck. She stopped. "But…where are you gonna go?"

She shook her head decidedly. "New Jersey…I wanna be a doctor."

"But you can be a—"

"No, I can't. You know they won't let me."

I started to cry, but I stopped myself automatically. Dad called us losers when we cried. I didn't want to be a loser. "But…what about me?"

"You don't want to live with them, do you?" I shook my head. "I called child protection. I said I was the neighbor. They're gonna put you in a new family, an adoptive family."

"What about…Mom and Dad?"

"Our parents…" she began, obviously irritated I had referred to them as 'Mom' and 'Dad'. "Our parents aren't home anymore. When I left, a police car was pulling into our lot—he said he was gonna arrest them, on accounts for child abuse. Don't worry, you'll be safe."

Now, the tears started really falling. I didn't care what Dad said about crying, I was doing it whether he liked it or not. My hand reached up for the truck's handle, and I pulled it. I hopped in. "B-but…I don't wanna live with some family. I wanna live with you. Please, Amber! Don't leave me here."

She stared up at the dented truck roof. "I'm sorry. I can't. New Jersey's too dangerous for you. I don't want you to get hurt. I want you to have the best life you can, okay?"

I felt like screaming. No, not okay! It won't be okay until I can come with you! But I didn't. "But…but Amber…I love you. Don't leave me alone. Please, don't leave me with them."

She stared long and hard into my eyes. Finally, she spoke. "I've already talked to your new family. They're nice; it'll be all right. You can call me if you want, they have my number."

"But Amber! Where are you going to live?"

Amber shook her head and frowned, ignoring my question. "Go to the building on Parker and Green. They're waiting, your family." I stuttered some form of a retort, but she pushed on. "Good bye. I love you, Rem." And then she was off. I couldn't believe it. My sister…my sister…had left me in the hands of strangers.

_How could she?_ Who knew tears could come out so fast.

* * *

I stood in the pristine lobby of the Child Protection Services building, shivering. Only half of it was because of the cold air. A tall blonde greeted me at the front desk. "Hey, there! What can I do for ya'll?"

I frowned, but instantly replaced the expression with a small, shy-looking smile. I spoke very softly, to appear lost. I wasn't lost in the least, but when she was talking to me, I was just a normal kid. If I looked like I knew where I was going, before I knew it, I'd be an adopted kid. I wasn't looking forward to it. "Hi…I'm…I'm supposed to be…adopted today."

She smiled a blinding sort of smile, and I cringed when it reached my eyes. "Right this way, then, sweet." She led me to this funny little yellow room. Inside stood two people, a young couple. I didn't see anything wrong with them. Yet.

"Hello, Remy." Spoke the woman quietly. She held out her hand. I didn't take it, but waited until the blonde left the room. Then we started to stare at each other.

The man spoke. "Hello." He seemed a bit cold, but maybe it was just me. I wasn't exactly too friendly, either.

"Hi." I whispered, almost testing out how I talked in front of these people. "So…you got any other kids?" The way the couple nodded, I could tell they either weren't able to or their child had died. Just like Amber. She was dead to me, and she'd be dead to me…she left me, all alone. Not even a hug goodbye. Suddenly, the woman reached out to squeeze my hand, interrupting the unhappy train of thought. She smiled warmly.

I knew I'd like it with them.

The last thing I remember of that day was going home, sitting in the backseat of their car, re-reading my adoption certificate.

_This is to certify that_

_Remy Volakis_

_Has been formally adopted_

_Into the Hadley family by the mother Anne_

_And is entitled to all the rights and privileges there to as one of her kids._

That day would change my life. No longer would I carry the guilt of having abusive parents, a cruel mother (who also had Huntington's), no. I was not a Volakis any more. Now, I was a Hadley.

And I would undoubtedly never see Amber again.


End file.
